Happy 1st birthday Clara Oswald
by impossible123
Summary: [Post Hell Bent] Clara Oswald spends the first 23rd November without the Doctor. Whouffaldi (and some slight Clashildr)


_**A/N: Yet another year has passed... And Doctor Who is celebrating its 55th year... And Clara Oswin Oswald would have turned 32. Yet, just remember... She's still out there somewhere... Travelling and saving the Doctor again. Hope you enjoy this!**_

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Me knocked on the door. "Clara?" She asked. "I need nothing, Me. Thank you." The former companion said weakly from behind the door. "Clara. Can I come in for a bit? Please?" Me pleaded. "I'm OK, Me. You can leave." Followed by a sniff. Me bit her bottom lip as she tried to ease the pain crawling up her arms. "The plate's kind of heavy. Can I just place it near you? Then I can just go, don't worry." "Let her in." Me heard weakly. And the door opened by itself. She entered slowly into the bedroom, and as she did, the TARDIS increased the light level enough so that Me could make her way through. It was a relatively large room, having live stellar wallpaper all around. There was a large bed having soft blankets. A huddled bunch was visible from underneath the covers.

Me placed the plate on the bedside table, next to a smaller plate of pasta, before sitting in the bed, the huddled form having its back towards the immortal. It was unmoving; totally.

Not even moving to breathe.  
It didn't need to breath anymore.

"Clara?" Me asked, but she dared not touch the huddled figure. It was then that the bundle started trembling and shivering. "Please _please_ leave me alone, Me." The Mire-Human Hybrid heard Clara whisper almost inaudibly. "Clara." Me said again in a tone which she rarely used; a sweet, caring tone. "I know it's hard, but you're starving yourself. You have to eat something."

"I'm not hungry." The former companion murmured. She sniffed a piece of cloth... No... A bundled shirt, which was already moistened with tears. "I miss his scent already. I miss the way he used to say my name." Clara breathed a very weak laugh. "He used to _purr_ it. The way he used to hug me, kiss my hair, smooth it." She held the shirt closer to her chest, inhaling its- his scent as the companion felt a tear making its way to the pillow. "And he's gone Me. He's gone now. He doesn't know how important he was to me anymore, or how important I was to him."

"But you can't starve yourself. Even if you're frozen, you need _energy_." Me tried to convince her. She hesitated, before saying, "The Doctor wouldn't want y-" but of course, Clara stopped her as she woke up hastily and turned around to face Me, having inflated bloodshot eyes and an expression of absolute anger, still clutching the shirt tight in fists before shouting. "The Doctor doesn't exist anymore! Not for me!" A sound of absolute silence took over the room (except for the TARDIS' humming as she travelled through the vortex), with Clara's eyes gazing hard into Me's. The latter was in complete total shock, totally taken aback. They stayed so for quite a while before the anger occluding from Clara's eyes vanished when her brain had processed what she had actually said.

"I'm... I'm sorry Me, it's just..." The former companion was on the verge of sobbing again.

But she had no more tears to cry. Clara felt helpless. Me wrapped her arms around her friend. She could feel her hiccup against her. "You don't have to worry about me, Clara. I know it must be tough." And Me was speaking truthfully, even if she knew it might have been tougher for Clara than for Me. As the latter had lost people physically, and still has some amazing memories. But Clara, who fell in love with the Impossible Man (and vice versa), had lost her mind completely for the fact that the _only_ person who really mattered in her life, at that moment (her father was happily settled) didn't know who she was. He hadn't died on her.

 _He had forgotten her._

And Clara has to endure the pain of looking at a man who doesn't have the same sparkle in his eye for her, the same _burning_ love for her.

After some time, Clara seemed to have calmed down. "OK?" Me asked as she pulled Clara away. The latter sniffed, dried her tear-laced cheeks. "Bit better." Clara said in the weakest voice, before she tried to force a wide smile, but could only get as much as a sad smile, much weaker then the usual sad smiles she used to do with the Doctor.

"I may be a defiant, angry immortal human, Clara. But that doesn't mean I'm not ready to help. Just ask anytime you want to talk." And Me offered Clara a smile the latter had seen quite a bit; the time where Me was still a young girl, innocent and having her head filled with all sorts of stories.

The girl prior to the final invasion of the Fake Odin.

The good old Ashildr.

Clara nodded in thanks.

Me clapped her hands together. "So," she began before waking up from the bed she had been sitting on. "I know you probably aren't in the mood of celebrating, but you're probably very hungry." She pulled out a lighter and began lighting up the 9 candles surrounding the edge of what was, in fact, a medium sized chocolate cake. "So I wanted you to celebrate your birthday. It is around 36 hours after Trap Street so I thought... Why not?"

She put out the lighter flame and placed the lighter on the bedside table before holding up the cake to Clara. "Happy 32nd birthday, Clara."

The Impossible Girl couldn't speak. She never though Me would do something like this for her; to try to cheer her up. A wide smile formed on her face. "Thank you Me. You shouldn't have."

The immortal human gave the companion a smile. "Yes. I should have." And as she noticed that Clara was too shook to actually know what to do. "Come on! Make a wish!"

Clara's smile turned sad. She only wanted one wish to come true. Just one.

And so she blew the candles, leaving 9 trails of smoke hovering upwards to the artificial heavens, hopefully carrying Clara's wish with them.

Me placed the cake on the table, before her own smile faded as she remembered. "Oh goodness. I forgot the plates and forks." Me said. "I'll go ge-" but she was soon stopped by the TARDIS' groans. "What's she saying?" Me asked. "She wants you to open that drawers over there." Clara's voice fluctuated as she pointed to a drawer on her desk, avoiding eye contact.

For Clara had dreamt of her Gallifreyan echo multiple times. Eleonclara, she was named. The echo was particularly fond of the technological marvels. She used to communicate with them, stroking their beautiful casing. She used to treat them like human beings; singing them Gallifreyan songs her mother used to lull her with when she was a child. She was the one who chose the right TARDIS for the Doctor. She was the one who knew what really was in that TARDIS' heart; to be free and explore the wonders of the Universe.

Clara, the Impossible Girl, had learnt to communicate, with the help of the Doctor, being able to understand the language who, to the normal, untrained ear would only be heard as clicks and hums and shrills.

Me went to open the drawer and found 2 small white plates having a motif of golden Gallifreyan circles on the side, as well as 2 forks. The girl took them and closed the drawer with her hip. _Thank you for not letting me leave her alone._ Me thought telepathically to the machine.

She walked to the bedside table and prepared to cut 2 generous slices of cake. The inside was just plain chocolate cake; Clara's favourite.

And so, Me handed a plate and a fork to Clara whilst the first took hers and sat by her. The former companion started trailing the icing sugar with her fork, quite literally playing with her food.

"Is there anything wrong?" Said Me. She stopped eating as soon as she noted Clara wasn't happy. "It's just... " Held her breath for a second before starting again. "I remember all the Doctor used to surprise me; especially towards..." Stopped and let the fork down. "Towards the end." Clara sighed. "I just have to live with memories, I guess."

Me placed her hand on Clara's, in such an affection she had rarely ever given to anyone. "I'm more than sure he will remember you one day. And when he does, at that moment, he will be the happiest man in the Universe." The former viking took away her hand and continued eating the cake. Clara sighed. "Guess it's better this way. For the Universe."

 _But not for me._

"After all, didn't you tell me that we were going to travel the Universe?" Me said with a cheeky smile. Clara breathed a laugh before she began slowly, but surely, eating her cake. It may have been a sad birthday, but the stars had softened Me's heart to be able to help Clara conquer her sadness.

"It's a great cake! Did you make it?" Clara asked before scooping another bite. "Nah... Never been good at cooking... Even after millions of years. Never had a sweet tooth either." Me said. "So I bought one from a good baker from Earth I know." Clara smiled shyly. "Thank you Me for you know... Not just this." As she indicated the plate. "Hey, we're travelling partners now." Me laughed. "And apartment-mates." Clara joined in. "Of you can call _this_ an apartment. It's almost a _universe_ on its own!"

Clara grinned in a rather silly way. Me's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "Why that smile?" "Well... I thought... Since it's my birthday, and I didn't have any plans to stay crying for all eternity. Wanna go have some fun across the Universe?" Me grinned. "That's my girl." Me actually quite liked Clara... Now that she knew her a bit better.

Clara placed the plate near her on the bed, took Ashildr's hand and, as she pulled herself out of bed (still wearing the waitress outfit; she didn't have the energy to change after leaving the Doctor), she pulled Me together with her, and ran out of the room in euphoria thought the corridor to the console room, leaving the Doctor's bundled shirt on the bed.

Clara and Me giggled as they arrived to the console out of breath. She clinged to the lever before pulling it down, both looking at each other as the pair held on to the console.  
"Hello Universe." Clara breathed, looking at the wonderful control column.

 _To another Universe, bravely._

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 _ **A/N: Hope you enjoyed this fanfic!**_ ** _In case the title was kind of an enigma to you (kind of like the Impossible Girl...) The 1st birthday refers to the 2st birthday after being "reborn"... The 1st birthday as " frozen" Clara._** _ **Would greatly appreciate any reviews and comments!**_


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